1920] EDITORIAL. 709 



it be iiiifhorizcd to ;iir;iiifre for «;r()ui) conferences for specific under- 

 takinjrs upon recpiest and with the approval of tlie a<hninistrative 

 officers concerned was accepted. Sug«^estions were also made looking 

 to conference with the National Research Council, a fuller description 

 of i)rojects in the Program of Work of the U. S. Department of Ag- 

 riculture, and the preparation and distribution by the States dela- 

 tions Service of a compilation of the projects of the stations. 



Problems connected with the publication of the results of station 

 work formed the subject of the report of the conmiittee on experi- 

 ment station organization and policy ami also of the committee on 

 pul)lication of research. The former committee referred to the pos- 

 sible waste in distributing station, publications through the use of 

 general mailing lists. The importance of conserving printing funds, 

 esi)ecially under piesent conditions, was emphasized: but it Avas in- 

 dicated that substituting a system of individual re(iuests Avould also 

 be open to some objections. Among these were mentioned the long 

 continued period through which the custom of automatic distribu- 

 tion had been in effect, the ])ossible loss of a direct contact with the 

 public, and the doubt as to Avhether the financial saving through 

 smaller editions might not in many cases be offset bj' the higher cost 

 of clerical labor in handling individual requests. At the same time 

 the committee recommended a study by each institution of the gen- 

 eral situation, with consideration of the advisability of classified 

 mailing lists, the possibilities of a wider use of the rural press in 

 ^lisseminating the new findings of publications, the use of brief post- 

 card amiouncements, and the ascertaining from farmers themselves 

 whether the request system would meet their needs. It was also 

 pointed out that considerable economy in publications could fre- 

 (piently be effected in other ways, such as careful editing and the use 

 of brief "abstract editions."' 



The wider use of channels outside the station publications was 

 deemed imperati\e by the joint committee on jiublication of research. 

 The report of this committee cited the inadequacy of station funds 

 for this purpose and advocated the strengthening of scientific jour- 

 nals, stating that these should be encouraged to become more broadly 

 national and international. One remedy for the increasing conges- 

 tion was held to be the restoration of the Journal of Agricultural 

 Rt X' nrch to its prewar size. Subsecpiently the attention of the asso- 

 ciation was directed to the present legislative status of the Journal^ 

 whereby its continuance in common with that of other Government 

 periodicals is dependent upon a specific authorization of Congress, 

 and a motion was adopted affirming the interest of the association in 

 permanent provision for both the Journal and Exper'nnent Station 

 Record. 



